495. The Bearpit (26)

On the 15th October 2016 The Bearpit played host to an international exhibition entitled ‘Resiste’. The exhibition featured the works of the Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of Oaxaco, Mexico. I will cover this exhibition in more detail in a forthcoming post, but today I will focus on the participation in the exhibition by Bristol’s magnificent Aspire.

Aspire, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2016
Aspire, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2016
Aspire has sprayed many birds in The Bearpit, but perhaps none so eye catching and appropriate to the immediate context as these two beautiful humming birds. The Bearpit is awash with Mexican protest street art, but these humming birds bring some tranquility to the overall atmosphere.

Aspire, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2016
Aspire, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2016
Yet another example of Bristol street art at its best, working alongside other cultures, movements and politics. The Bearpit is such an interesting cultural space, often rather controversial and edgy, but never boring.

Aspire, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2016
Aspire, The Bearpit, Bristol, October 2016

Rain, rain go away

.

Crisp, dry leaves yield to

soggy slippery mush. Rain!

enough already. 

.

by Scooj

Chilly choices

.

Standing in cold car

parks, shivering and choosing

which cars to test drive. 

.

by Scooj

494. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (19)

This is a small piece by the wonderful Bristol street artist Face F1st whose works are always centered on a styalised face each one with a different decorative feature. In this one he has placed a small octopus on the face’s head. This is a political anti-Brexit piece which is articulated clearly, and the octopus represents the Brexit narrative ‘brainwashing’, which appears to be stifling any intellectual debate about what kind of Brexit British citizens might want (in particular the 48% who voted against).

Face F1st, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 201
Face F1st, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016
I like all of Face F1st’s work and enjoy spotting them, they always feel slightly understated and he tends to select untidy walls to spray. Face Fist belongs to the PWA crew, Pirate Wall Art which includes Soap. Looking forward to more from PWA and Face F1st.

493. Dighton Street (2)

At one end of Dighton Street there are two small walls which look like they had once been rather fancy gateways and which have since been filled in. They offer street artists an opportunity to spray a pair of related works should they wish to do so, as the spots come as a pair and are separated by a stone wall of about 20 feet.

Deamze, Dighton Street, Bristol, October 2016
Deamze, Dighton Street, Bristol, October 2016
Deamze is the latest Bristol-based street artist to occupy these walls with his recognisable vertically elongated Deam Ask style of burner. His colour selections are once again striking and emphasise his clever use of shadowing the lettering.

Deamze, Dighton Street, Bristol, October 2016
Deamze, Dighton Street, Bristol, October 2016
The previous pieces here had been sprayed by Sepr, and were a couple of my favourite works of last year. I will miss them, but turnover on this wall has been very slow, and they had a long run out. Now it is the turn of Deamze.

Birdsong

 

Even in dark days

where only despair resides

birdsong lifts my heart.

 

by Scooj

*I’m fine by the way, I am just experimenting with moods/emotions

492. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (18)

A week or so before Haloween, this scary clown appeared in Stokes Croft. Now I am the first to say that I am not a big fan of the scary clown thing that seems to be sweeping the nation at the moment, but I really like this piece.

Dose?, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016
Dose?, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016

The artist is unknown to me, and I can’t find out anything about him anywhere. He signs himself ‘Dose’ or ‘Dase’ and was responsible for this fabulous ghost cat a few months ago, in exactly the same spot.

Dose?, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016
Dose?, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016

His works are so clean and beautifully executed…really fine work, but they also have some menace, some edge, which for me is one of the things I love about street art. I wish I could find out something about him (I know it is a he, because I have seen images of him painting the cat on the internet, but the photographer/blogger also didn’t know who he is).

Dose?, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016
Dose?, Stokes Croft, Bristol, October 2016

If anyone reading this can put me out of my misery and knows who the artist is, please leave a comment at the end of this post. Scary clowns…they really are scary.

Alone

 

No hot desks left, so

I find a quiet cell; now

incarcerated.

 

by Scooj

 

 

27. Souvenirs

I have neglected my Falkland adventure in favour of street art and haiku poems, but this blog began with a digitisation of a diary I wrote in 1988 whilst working as a fisheries scientist in the South Atlantic. I feel it is time for me to add another section from the diary. The context to this diary is set out in the first post I wrote entitled ‘An ill wind‘. I recommend you read this first post to get a feel for what this is all about. All of the posts can be seen in the ‘Falkland Journal, 1988’ category to the left of the screen. Enjoy.

 

Wednesday 8 June 1988. Montevideo, London Palace Hotel

Today there is a general strike. Like yesterday it is cool and overcast, but I can overcome this in my new jacket. Yo ho.

Most of the day on the Koei Maru 30. Watched bits od several films and then all of ‘Lethal Weapon’…again, and also a film called ‘Gotcha’. it was ok.

Ate my first sizable meal of sushimi today, it was good.

The Fishing Master told me, if I understood correctly, that his wife didn’t want him back, so he is prepared to stay in the zone as long as you like. Poor chap. I don’t really understand. Anyway it seems that if another observer comes on board, they will work, but not talk to him. Nice!?!

El Fogon – hotel bar – bed.

Thursday 9 June 1988. Montevideo, London Palace Hotel

‘So begins another weary day’ Grey Day.

Souvenirs

Souvenirs, Koei Maru 30, June 1988
Souvenirs, Koei Maru 30, June 1988

A very boring day on the Koei Maru 30. Oh I don’t know if I can bear it any more.

The crew seem to be in real ‘micky-taking’ mood, I think it has something to do with being in Montevideo.

It didn’t look like much refueling was going on today, so perhaps Brazil, here we come – who knows?

Friday 10 June 1988. Koei Maru 30

I checked out.

My visa receipt (N$ 103,172) amounts to roughly £172 for 11 days – a touch better than Emma’s

For the rest of the day I tried to kill time on the boat. I have forgotten how difficult it is. All the crew except Iyagi, who was on watch and in a horrific mood, and ‘Acne man’, had gone out on the town for the last time.

I needless to say, stayed in – no money no inclination. I bought a few special treats for myself, but stupidly some tobacco.

Saturday 11 June 1988. Koei Maru 30

We are at sea again – there was an eerie mist heralding a beautiful clear day – I took a few slides.

Leaving Montevideo, Koei Maru 30, June 1988
Leaving Montevideo, Koei Maru 30, June 1988
Leaving Montevideo, Koei Maru 30, June 1988
Leaving Montevideo, Koei Maru 30, June 1988

I have missed breakfast – quite a relief – it looks like eggs, eggs, eggs like before.

Saw loads of Magellanic penguins, but otherwise very little of interest happened.

Leaving Montevideo, Koei Maru 30, June 1988
Leaving Montevideo, Koei Maru 30, June 1988

Watched some films, including Indie Jones and the Temple of Doom – an irritating but quite enjoyable movie.

Sencho now tells me that when I go for my holiday, the Koei Maru will head for Japan – that’s not fair, it’s blackmail!

Sunday 12 June 1988. Koei Maru 30

The clocks on board are now set to Falkland time. I am overjoyed – I exaggerate. Radiod Mt ?? of KSJ to say that I’ll radio Fishops at KSJ tomorrow at 9.00 am. I have so much to say to John.

?? = Okaido or something of that sort.

It has become fairly rough and I have got my usual ‘second day at sea headache’.

I sorted things out with the Fishing Master and radio Radar – all seems ok-ish. They will also talk with John tomorrow.

Phoned Deb – highlight of the last fortnight – I am deliriously happy. I can’t help thinking though that she may have met someone – who can blame her? I would die if she had.

Abe said I could phone home tomorrow.

Radio Head, Koei Maru 30, June 1988
Radio Head, Koei Maru 30, June 1988

 

 

491. Upfest 2016 (65)

This is one of the most beautiful and sensitive pieces that I saw at Upfest this year. The artist, Sokar Uno has created something really touching and outstanding. This is without doubt one of my favourite pieces from this year’s festival.

Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Sokar Uno is a young German artist who has been painting and illustrating since he was twelve. Clearly he is very talented.

Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

There is a wonderful explanation of the approach he takes to his art on his excellent website which is really worth a visit.

Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I am thoroughly taken with his ‘classical’ style and would really love to see more of his work. I fear I might have to travel to Berlin to see it though. It is a real privilege to see him at work in Bristol.

Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Sokar Uno, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016